| Year | Won | Margin | Democratic | Republican | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | R | 1,428 | 5,998 | 7,525 | |
| 2020 | R | 1,569 | 5,861 | 7,551 | |
| 2016 | R | 1,315 | 5,752 | 7,460 | |
| 2012 | R | 1,969 | 5,266 | 7,341 | |
| 2008 | R | 2,338 | 4,894 | 7,333 | |
| 2004 | R | 2,330 | 5,328 | 7,731 | |
| 2000 | R | 2,170 | 4,674 | 7,044 | |
| 1996 | R | 2,236 | 3,877 | 6,735 | |
| 1992 | R | 2,122 | 3,869 | 7,578 | |
| 1988 | R | 2,768 | 4,241 | 7,072 | |
| 1984 | R | 2,479 | 5,008 | 7,569 | |
| 1980 | R | 2,210 | 4,937 | 7,761 | |
| 1976 | R | 2,732 | 4,643 | 7,506 | |
| 1972 | R | 2,224 | 5,159 | 7,491 | |
| 1968 | R | 2,146 | 5,594 | 8,068 | |
| 1964 | R | 4,295 | 4,336 | 8,637 | |
| 1960 | R | 2,967 | 6,509 | 9,480 | |
| 1956 | R | 2,970 | 6,138 | 9,118 | |
| 1952 | R | 2,192 | 7,130 | 9,360 | |
| 1948 | R | 3,421 | 3,697 | 7,326 | |
| 1944 | R | 3,138 | 4,033 | 7,201 | |
| 1940 | R | 4,133 | 4,760 | 8,931 | |
| 1936 | D | 5,139 | 3,350 | 8,612 | |
| 1932 | D | 4,503 | 3,213 | 7,848 | |
| 1928 | R | 2,397 | 4,845 | 7,298 | |
| 1924 | R | 756 | 4,172 | 7,135 | |
| 1920 | R | 1,468 | 5,137 | 6,714 | |
| 1916 | R | 1,787 | 2,021 | 3,847 | |
| 1912 | D | 1,506 | 620 | 3,870 | |
| 1908 | R | 1,326 | 1,912 | 3,314 | |
| 1904 | R | 885 | 2,279 | 3,306 | |
| 1900 | R | 1,461 | 2,386 | 3,901 | |
| 1896 | R | 1,562 | 2,421 | 4,028 | |
| 1892 | R | 1,373 | 1,666 | 3,147 | |
| 1888 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1884 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1876 | — | — | — | — |
O'Brien County's R+60.7 margin in 2024 places it among the most one-sided presidential counties in Iowa, reflecting the broader rural realignment that has reshaped the state's electoral map over the past decade.
The Republican margin in O'Brien County reached its widest at sixty-one points in 2024. The margin in 2024 was sixty-one points, in line with the county's deep historical pattern.
O'Brien County's loyalty is rooted in its place. Median household income of $68,356, a 88% non-Hispanic-white share, and a population of 14,126 together describe a community whose political habits are deeply settled. The county's voting pattern over the last decade is most similar to that of Osceola County and Franklin County.
